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(11) | EP 1 081 491 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Gas sensor |
| (57) A gas sensor includes a housing having a base end. A sensor element is inserted into
the housing, and is fixed with respect to the housing. The sensor element has a base
end. Terminal electrodes are provided on the base end of the sensor element. An atmosphere-side
cover is provided on the base end of the housing. An insulator is provided in the
atmosphere-side cover, and has terminal accommodation holes. The insulator has an
element accommodation hole in which the base end of the sensor element is placed.
The element accommodation hole communicates with the terminal accommodation holes.
The insulator has ribs forming inner surfaces defining the element accommodation hole.
The ribs has a thickness smaller than a thickness of the base end of the sensor element.
There are leads for electrical connection with an external. Metal terminals are at
least partially placed in the terminal accommodation holes respectively, and have
connecting portions connected with the leads. The ribs are located between the metal
terminals to form spaces between the metal terminals. As the base end of the sensor
element is placed in the element accommodation hole, the terminal electrodes on the
base end of the sensor element come into contact with the metal terminals so that
the terminal electrodes are electrically connected with the leads via the metal terminals. |